1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to image data processing in apparatus involved in full-color printing, such as a printer, video printer, or scanner, or in display apparatus such as a monitor, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus and method that process image data represented by data for a plurality of colors according to the requirements of a particular device or particular usage conditions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-41025 describes a conventional image processing apparatus and method that provides means of selectively smoothing input image data, means of discriminating between light parts and dark parts of the input image data and selecting the smoothing process that is carried out on light parts adjacent to dark parts, and means of displaying the selectively smoothed image data.
When image data represented by data for a plurality of colors are input and output or displayed, image processing is carried out for a variety of purposes. Specific examples of such image processing include modifying the spatial or temporal frequency characteristics of the image data and changing the contrast of the image data. With conventional apparatus and methods, these processes are carried out uniformly on the color data of all hues, without making use of hue information. A consequent problem is that it has not been possible to confine the image processing to specific hues, or to perform image processing with different processing characteristics on different hues.